Vintage Mictrotubes stacked with Tall Font Russian?

I'm currently using a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes and a B3K. VMT is always on, as I'm going for a "classic sound", with my '57 p-bass RI going into an SVT. I often engage the B3K, which I stack with VMT to take the dirt to the next level. Only issue is that it's a bit too modern sounding for my tastes. I'm thinking of swapping out the B3K for a Wren and Cuff Tall Font Russian. Has anyone tried stacking the TFR with the VMT? I'm assuming the mids in the VMT will compensate for the slight mid scoop on the TFR...

Yes and no. Yes the VMT stacks well with every pedal I tried with it, and yes theoretically the mids would help. But I didn't find it to be the best EQ match with/fix for the TFR. Because both pedals actually have a ton of low end, stacked together the sound was a bit boomy for me. IME the VMT shines with pedals that have an upper-mid and high focus and don't have as much low or low mids. The TFR is beautiful on its own and just isn't meant to be a cutting fuzz. It's made to shake the walls into cream! You know, in my opinion.

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I am stacking the VMT with a TFR, and love the sound! I use the VMT as a preamp, and tweak it with a Barber Linden EQ pedal. Now, mind you, I wanted more of that scooped classic Muff fuzz tone to begin with, so I knew what I was getting into. Do you want an overdrive or fuzz sound to go with your VMT?

Thanks for the advice guys. I also use the VMT almost as a bit of an always-on preamp, and to get some nice dirt when I dig in with a pick. Is the TFR capable of fairly subtle, but more "classic", fuzz tones, or even heavy overdrive tones? Does it sound great on its own (not stacked)? I find that the B3K gets into fuzzy territory but it sounds metallic and too modern for my tastes...

The TFR is based on the Green Big Muff, so to me that is as classic as it gets for bass fuzz. The Distortion knob covers a lot of ground; dialed way back it can be a subtle overdrive type of sound, and full on it's a thick wall of creamy fuzz. It is most definitely not modern sounding. The only potential issue is that it's a "muffled" fuzz, so the fuzz effect doesn't stand out or slice through in a live mix like most modern fuzzes. It's just a solid, booming low end thickness.

Classic sounds - love it! Does the TFR fuzz get totally lost in a live mix generally? I would have thought it would have a strong bottom end presence that would be like a fuzzy warm blanket underneath the guitars and kick drum

I would have thought it would have a strong bottom end presence that would be like a fuzzy warm blanket underneath the guitars and kick drum

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This is right. Your bass doesn't get lost in the mix at all. It's just that depending on your bass and rig, the fuzz can get lost. Some people want to hear searing fuzzy distortion when they kick on their pedal, and that's not what happens; the bass just sort of thickens...in my experience, which was in a band fighting two overdriven/distortion-drenched guitars and a loudish drummer (honestly a lot of pedal effects get lost in that setup). In that too-common-situation, having the mids is really important for the fuzz to be more present in the mix. In a trio or other setup, or for recording, it wasn't as much an issue for me. And it obviously works for a lot of people, like MNoir above.

The guitarists in our band use mild overdrives and lots of delay. As long as I my bass doesn't take up the same sonic space as our synth/keys player I'm sure the TFR could cut through enough... I guess I won't know for sure until I take the plunge and buy it... But sound clips would be really good!!

So I finally bit the bullet and purchased the Tall Font Russian. It sounds a bit more bassy when stacked with the VMT. But the TFR has such a great tone on its own that I just prefer the sound without stacking. This weekend I'll test it out with a live band to see if it really cuts through